House Committee on Ways and Means Hearing on TRIPS Waiver
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on a Resolution of Inquiry into the U.S. TRIPS waiver policy (September 20, 2022)
The House Ways & Means Committee rejected a Resolution of Inquiry seeking information from the Biden administration regarding the WTO’s waiver of IP protections for COVID-19 technology and plans to expand that waiver. As we reported yesterday, the Resolution of Inquiry was a symbolic vote, which was not expected to pass while offering a means for the Republicans to call attention to the issue. “The administration has not yet consulted with this committee or taken a position on an expanded waiver, nor have they shared any analysis on the impact of expanding the waiver,” the resolution’s author, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), said—watch a video of the highlights.